That's Fit

Something wonderful happened a couple of weeks ago at my supermarket: Fresh, ripe strawberries started appearing on the shelves, and my fridge has been full of them ever since. That's right -- it's strawberry season. I'm crazy about berries of all kinds, and strawberries are my favourite. Thankfully, my body loves them too -- they're low in calories and high in nutrients and antioxidants.

Me, I eat my strawberries au naturel -- I slice them, put them in a small Tupperware container, tote them with me to the office and munch on them all day long. But if this doesn't float your boat, here are some other ways to enjoy them:

• Add them to your morning cereal
  
• Throw a handful in a protein smoothie
• Stir some into a bowl of plain yogurt, and add just a little bit of honey for sweetness -- and some granola too if you like.
  
• Throw some in your salad
• Slice and serve with some fine cheeses
• Entertaining? Top slices of angel food cake with them -- and maybe a bit of whipped cream if you're feeling indulgent

Got any ideas you'd like to share?

There are a few diet truths out there: Fruit and veggies are good, excessive fat and calories are bad. But when food manufacturers are looking to make a profit, these truths can sometimes be blurred and exploited. That's why you need to be your own diet detective.

Don't worry -- we're here to help you figure out what's actually good for your waistline and what's not. AOL Body recently revealed the most common diet food imposters. What made the list? Here are a few:

• 'Real Fruit' Juice. Don't believe the name -- it's mostly just sugar, and can run you up to 300 calories.
  
• Chicken and Turkey Hot Dogs. They have just as much fat as regular ones.
  
• Sugar-free Sweets. Sugar-free stuff still has calories -- the only difference? The calories come from sugar alcohols instead.

So here's your first Summer Quick Fix Challenge:

12 "healthy" foods that really aren't:

Why? Click to find out!

Just picked up a little recipe card from Kraft at the grocery store today, and thought I'd share it with you. The apple-cheddar stacker recipe offers protein, calcium, fiber, and energy. A decent little snack for the kids or you!

Ingredients:

• 3 oz Kraft 2% Milk Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 small apple, cut into 24 slices
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 24 TRISCUIT Crackers

Agave nectar has shown up as tidbits in various post on That's Fit before, whether it's an ingredient in a hot chocolate recipe or an element of a celebrity's diet. But for those of you who don't know the details of what this sweet syrup is, where it comes from and why it's a good alternative to sugar or artificial sweeteners, this is for you:

Agave nectar is derived from a Mexican plant and considered a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners because it's naturally derived and has a low glycemic effect, which is explained thoroughly in this article on Shake Off the Sugar a web site devoted to low-carb options and reducing sugar intake. And here's another article about the trend in use of agave as a sweet alternative.

As for me, I use it in tea and baking recipes as well as in my morning oatmeal. The other day, I used it in lemonade. But I found adding a little organic sugar made the taste of the lemons come out more. Call me crazy.

My experiments have been fun and mostly successful. And I can vouch for agave's low glycemic load as I'm a type 1 diabetic using an insulin pump to control blood sugar and testing often. The effect of agave nectar on my blood sugar is minimal. But of course other experiences might be different. Our bodies are not entirely identical in how they react to various substances. And I'm not your doctor, so talk to yours about how you might use agave in your diet.

You can usually find agave in your local health food store. My local Super Target stocks it too. And you can buy online too. Sweet!

KitKat's recently launched its biggest new brand in 10 years. It's called KitKat Senses, and from what I can see, it's touted as a 'healthier' version of the regular beloved chocolate bar. They hired British superstar band Girls Aloud to promote the bar in this multi-million dollar commercial.

Interested in knowing the nutritional down-low for KitKat Senses? Apparently, it's got 'just 165 calories,' which is not exactly 'low-cal' if you ask me, but it's better than the regular 220 cal. Still, it's probably loaded with artificial sweeteners, so nutritionally speaking, you'd be better off having a small piece of dark chocolate. Currently, it seems to be available only in the UK.

What do you think of the new bar?

(Via The Skinny Website)

Easter is over but chances are, the chocolate is far from gone. I can relate--the Easter Toblerone I was gifted is staring me down from across the room as we speak. Luckily, I recently stumbled across this excellent post on Diet Blog on how to deal with chocolate cravings. Here are a couple of gems:

• Eat something that really doesn't go with chocolate. Like something garlicky. Or a dill pickle.
  
• Fulfill your craving in a healthy way with, say, a small glass of low-fat chocolate milk or hot cocoa
• Do something else, such as taking a walk. It will take your mind of the sweet stuff.
  
• Hide it. Or, if worst comes to worst, throw it in the trash.

Still tempted? Head over to Diet Blog for some more tips, and make sure to share some of your own!

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

Hooray for Paige Davis! I just got done interviewing the delightful host of TLC's Trading Spaces and I genuinely like her a lot. We spent an hour blabbing our brains out, and I have to tell you that the girl is as easy, sweet and likable in person as she is on the show. The world of home improvement fans exhaled a collective sigh of relief when TLC announced they were bringing back their beloved Paige.

She's sweet, she's smart, and she happens to have a smoking body. She's been professionally dancing for a very long time, and has some terrific advice to help get the rest of us in super shape as well. Paige's perspective on both life and fitness seems to be on track. Her enthusiasm is contagious. If you'd like to catch a case of her 'perfect life' germs...read on!

Fitz: You've been gone from Trading Spaces for a few years, and just finished shooting the first half of the new season. How'd it go?

Paige: Great! We've shot 13 episodes so far. It's been different, but great! It's wonderful to be back working with all of my friends who were there before. It is so much fun working with Frank. And Doug is like a sibling to me. We have this silly chemistry, and we just poke fun at each other and have a blast all the time. Plus, I've made lots of new friends. I love it.

Fitz: Moving is really hard work. The audience may wonder of you're just the cute perky girl hosting the show, without having to actual pitch in to the tasks. How much physical labor do you actually do while filming?

Beans, blueberries, salmon, eggs, and sweet potatoes are essential for sensible eating, according to registered dietitian Robin Plotkin. Why are they so important? Read on.

Dried or canned beans are an excellent source of protein and soluble and insoluble fiber. They are low in fat, contain no saturated fat or cholesterol, and provide nutrients such as folate, potassium, and calcium. Beans can help control weight and minimize the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants which help fight off cancer and cardiovascular disease. They can help improve memory and are naturally low in fat, calories, and sodium. High in fiber, manganese, and vitamins C and E, blueberries are an excellent on-the-go snack.

Salmon, abundant in omege-3 fatty acids and offering heart-healthy benefits, is a great source of high-quality protein and a variety of vitamins. Salmon is fast, versatile, and available at both grocery stores and restaurants.

Eggs are also high in protein and contain 13 important nutrients, including zinc, iron, and folate. Eggs help with weight management, muscle strength, brain function, and eye health. They also aid in the maintenance of a healthy pregnancy. Containing just 75 calories each, eggs are inexpensive, natural, and unprocessed.

Sweet potatoes have four times the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin A and nearly 50 percent the RDA for vitamin C. Fat-free and high in fiber, these potatoes provide folate, potassium, and vitamin B-6. They're affordable, simple to prepare, and naturally sweet.

Okay, this one is really personal for me: fighting sugar cravings. I have a major sweet tooth, and sometimes it comes after me with vengeance, messing up what would have been an awesome healthy day. Learning to solve sugar cravings without sugar and how to manage your sweet tooth before it comes calling is a seriously valuable skill. Natural Health makes 12 suggestions:

1. Keep hydrated. Cravings can sometimes be triggered by dehydration, so next time one strikes try drinking a big glass of water and waiting a few minutes before grabbing a snack.

2. Cut out caffeine. Caffeine can cause both energy levels and blood sugar levels to go up and down, potentially causing cravings.

3. Get enough sleep. Being tired can trigger your body to seek sugar for energy. Make sure you get whatever your body needs regularly each night -- usually 7-8 hours.

Honey may not be the worst of all diet pitfalls, but it's still sugary -- honey is 75 to 80 percent simple sugar and only contains trace amounts of some vitamins and minerals. Spoon for spoon, it's sweeter than actual sugar and contains 65 calories per tablespoon to sugar's 45 calories for the same measurement. If you're looking to limit your intake of sugar then, honey should make the cut list. Feel free to use it for other purposes, though. It has plenty of impressive non-nutritional qualities. Here are a few.

Disease Protection. Honey has antioxidants, just like fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are non-nutritive agents that decrease the activity of cell-damaging free radicals. The darker varieties of honey can contain large quantities of a particular antioxidant called flavonoids, the same substances found in red grapes and linked with a lower risk of heart disease among wine drinkers.

Skin Protection. Honey helps skin retain moisture and its antioxidants may also find a role in skin-care products because nectar can be used to produce alpha hydroxy acids, a vital ingredient in skin creams and moisturizers.

Preservative. Honey is a preservative and doesn't spoil. It can therefore slow chemical reactions that cause rancidity in foods. Substituting honey for refined sugar might even extend the shelf life of some products.

Honey's nutritional value is less than what many believe. But its other properties are considerable, clearly.

You may not need this remedy unless you're likely to be stranded in freezing outdoor temperatures for extended periods of time. Still, you never know what lies ahead. So be prepared -- with a dose of sugar, that is.

Besides adding layers and applying heat, another speedy way to warm the body is to eat or drink something sweet, says one Alaska state trooper who coordinates search and rescue missions. Sugars help build an internal "fire," says Lieutenant Barry Wilson in the December 2007 issue of The Oprah Magazine. Sugar creates brief heat and quick energy. Keep in mind the "brief" and "quick" terminology. Make a habit out of consuming sugar and that jolt of energy will lead to an inevitable crash.

Even better for warming up: a little GORP (granola, oats, raisins, and peanuts). This combo provides more slowly-released carbs -- think of these as the fire's "sticks" -- as well as protein and fat, or the "logs."

Got sugar? Got GORP? Then you're all set.

Hey women, although your sweet-tooth might be in your genes, as I told you a few days ago, other factors play a major role in how you taste sweet things -- namely smoking and your family's history of alcoholism. Smoking, not surprisingly, dulls your tastebuds to sweet foods, so theoretically, it will take more sugar to satisfy your sweet cravings than it would if you were a non-smoker.

And if your family has a history of alcoholism, you're more likely to crave sweets. Strange -- I don't see a link here. But researchers believe a genetic predisposition to addiction is at the heart of both of these findings.

What do you think about these findings?

I definitely have a sweet tooth that I fight on an almost a daily basis, so any article that promises a healthier way to satisfy it always has my immediate attention. And this one had something I didn't really think of before: figs.

Figs have been around for centuries, and amazingly there are over 150 different kinds. They are a good source of dietary fiber, and when used in dessert recipes can be just as satisfying and decadent as more traditional sweets like chocolate and ice cream.

Want to give 'em a shot? Try this recipe for Figs with Port and Toasted Almonds. Sounds good to me!

Did you know worms live longer when they are unable to process the simple sugar glucose? Sure enough. And this finding, published in the October issue of Cell Metabolism, may mean for humans that glucose could have a negative effect on life span. Study of these little worms may have other human implications too.

Already, researchers think their findings cast some doubt on traditional Type 2 diabetes treatments, all of which target lowering blood levels of glucose by increasing the amount of sugar taken up by body tissues. Questions are also being raised about the widespread use of antioxidant supplements -- antioxidants and vitamins given to the worms canceled out the life-extending benefits of sugar deprivation.

While banishing refined sugar is definitely a wise idea -- surely, we all agree on that, right? -- no one recommends tossing the multivitamins just yet. I mean, we're talking worms here. Still, some good food for thought, don't you think?

Sodium is usually the first to go for someone diagnosed with high blood pressure. There's also another way to fight this condition, though, without drugs.

It's a simultaneous approach that involves cutting back on sodium intake while increasing consumption of potassium-rich foods. For greatest benefits, sodium should total 2,300 milligrams per day while potassium milligrams reach 4,700. Avoiding processed foods is a wise choice if you're watching your blood pressure -- sodium is added to most of these foods -- and upping your intake of potassium should come from foods, not supplements. Do check with your doctor about the amount of potassium you need. Some people with kidney ailments may have trouble processing potassium.

Once you get the go-ahead to pack some potassium power into your diet, here's what you might eat:

1 baked sweet potato, 694 mg
1 small baked potato, 610 mg
8 ounces non-fat yogurt, 580 mg
3 ounces cooked halibut, 490 mg
1 banana, 422 mg
1 cup milk, 380 mg
1 cup cantaloupe, 368 mg
1 cup orange juice, 355 mg
1 cup oatmeal, 120 mg